Budō Mai
Budō Mai (武道舞, Budō Mai; lit. "Martial Way Dance") is one among a series of techniques developed in the Han Empire for the use of its high ranking officers, as well as one of the basic fighting tenants used in the numerous martial arts schools established there. A contradictory ability that contrasts Battle Meditation, Budō Mai serves as a technique that focus on the emotional and physical aspects of fighting, giving the practitioner complete dominion and absolute control over their body through a variety of exercises and routines that are recited by constantly practicing them to the point of memorizing them instinctively. Incorporating the use of a vast arrange of martial arts and systems of coordinated movements, they are designed to enhance the physical health of the user dramatically when practiced consistently, as well as create the foundation of self-discipline and mastery of oneself in body. A specially designed regimen of maneuvers/forms in a series of stances, breathing techniques, and stretches, Budō Mai is battle-oriented exercise created with the purpose of being used in actual real-time combat to aid the practitioner by significantly bolstering their physical abilities naturally without the use of any outside stimulation or aid, enabling them to employ the maximum possible use over all aspects of their body through manual stimulation of specific regions. Description Described as a “dance” of sort, Budō Mai is classified as a type of quick-paced exercise designed to be usable in the middle of a battle immediately by the practitioner, pumping their muscles up for support, causing multiple aspects of their physique to expand in size and tighten up, warming them up enough to exert themselves at a much higher capacity by having a sort of quick “pre-work out” in the middle of a fight. The exercises in retrospect allow for them to build up energy inside themselves and across their entire frame, gaining what would amount to hours worth of training while pushing away the exhaustion that would come from it by simply reciting a few routines belonging to this technique. As a part of training, most users practice the forms and stances it has, primarily to not just increase increase the physical discipline that is gained from it, but also the mental, emotional, and discipline they have, boosting up their natural stamina once performed properly. It is by this method that most martial artists that combine the use of Budō Mai enhance their forms while drastically reducing the effort placed in them equal to time and energy that would be required to perform. Like Battle Meditation, it is this technique's own iteration toward maintaining focus and control. The practitioner focuses on their changing stances to enhance their performance by affecting the nervous system, posture, heart rate, and other bodily functions, using their breathing to quiet their nerves, steady movements and maintain their endurance. And by inhaling, it prepares one’s own body for a block or strike, while exhaling helps execute the movement to its fullest potential. Interestingly enough, this system of approach focuses plainly on augmenting the physical aspects of the user’s body by incorporating a wide range of other activities, such as stretching, breathing, and stances to bring out the hidden potential locked away. Using three known techniques together, it serves three purposes when utilized: enhance, improve, and cultivate the user’s power. During the first step, this method builds on the foundation of improving and enhancing the physical health of user to a tremendous degree through a series of exercises, coordinated with breathing, when practiced consistently. The forms practiced take on a slow but stretching motions away from the body, making it a much more intense form of exercise that aims at strengthening the muscles and tendons, promoting strength and flexibility, speed and stamina, balance and coordination of the body, making them as hard as steel by consciously manipulating both the muscular and skeletal system through sheer force. The exercise used in the practice of Budō Mai is designed better enable the circulation of blood and air to spread inside their lungs and veins due to the stretching and flexing done over a period of time, allowing proper speed to take place without any sluggishness or stagnation to take place during the entire process once performed. It is for sake of this purpose that through repeated use, Budō Mai turns flaccid and frail sinews and tendons into strong and sturdy ones, to such an extent that even an old man with repeated practice would hold the same strength as that of a young man. Both vigorous and gentle, the fluid motions are characterized as drawing inspiration from both the peaceful movements of water and the intense of gestures associated to martial arts, requiring a unity of will and strength, i.e. using one's will to direct the exertion of muscular strength. By controlling where this strength travels to, the user can strengthen the application of force or function in any region on their body, achieving feats of great measure. Combined with coordinated breathing and extreme mental discipline, the body reacts accordingly and benefits greater by those who have mastered the basics of the martial dance, resulting in them producing extreme changes in their body in no more than a matter months that rewards them with better health and shape, more resistance, flexibility, and endurance. Its effectiveness become more pronounced when utilized in a timespan of five years, each gap of time restoring or training an aspect of the human body. The first year of training gives back physical and mental vitality. The second year enhances blood circulation and nurtures meridians. The third year allows flexibility to muscles and nurtures the organs. The fourth year improves meridians and nurtures viscera. And the fifth year washes the marrow and nurtures the brain. With the exercises being enacted in the form of an assortment of stances that affect the structure of the body. Promoting a healthy metabolism and accelerated muscle growth, it rebalances the position of muscles to nurture their full use. By stretching muscles and sinews, they in turn affect the functions of organs and joints, enabling Budō Mai to enter its second stage of use: improvement. With newly refined physical strength, the caster can produce more and better refined energy that emboldens balance and strength to body and mind, allowing enough control over the more intricate regions of their body that would normally be more active during life threatening situations. By combining a conscious intention with muscular force, they can force their body to secrete enzymes, chemicals, and hormones to augment their physical prowess stimulating the collection glands in the endocrine system. From secreting adrenaline to increase their physical power, to using endorphins to boost ones durability and pain resistance. When pushed even further, muscles can harden and contract at will, while at the same time producing denser bones by producing additional proteins. Techniques *'Hachi Dōdō' (八液動, Hachi Dōdō; lit. “Eight Fluid Movements”): :*1 :*2 :*3 :*4 :*5 :*6 :*7 :*8 *TBA (): *TBA (): *TBA (): *TBA (): *TBA (): *'Hyaku Seicho' (百日猗, Hyaku-nichi; lit. "Hundred Day Growth"): *'Sen Yorune' (千夜寢, Sen Yorune; lit. "Thousand Night Sleep"): *'Kokoha' (心春, Kokoha; lit. "Heart Spring"): Trivia Category:Martial Art Category:Technique Category:Techniques Category:Abilities Category:Han Empire